When COTS/NDI is being integrated with other items, either new
development or other COTS/NDI, the same attention and level of effort that is
characteristic of a new development must be given to the integration. R&M
and other performance characteristics may be seriously affected by the
integration due to feedback, interference and other interactions. The
integration may require interface devices, which themselves may present new
R&M problems. One would expect a supplier to perform Failure Modes and
Effects Analysis (FMEA), Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), and other analyses to
ensure that the integration does not compromise the R&M performance of any
of the items being integrated and that the resulting product meets the
required levels of R&M performance.